Ticket-printing machine.



J. H. BAIR. TICKET PRINTING MACHINE.

APFLIUATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912,

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. TICKET PRINTING MAOBINE.

nrmoulox FILED sin. 7', 1912.

1,083,267. Patented Jan 6,191;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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.other, and Figs. 9' to 12 illustrate the four .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. FAIR, 0F PHILADELFHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TICKET-PRINTING MACHINE.

Spccificati on of Letters Patent.

"To all whom it mag "concern Be it known that I, Josnrn H. BAIR, a citizen of the United States of America, and a residentof Philadelphia, county of Philadel'phia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ticket Printing Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates totickct printing machines for use in printing tickets of the customary size and material either for transportation between two given points over land or by water, or -for admission to places of amusement or the like, such as base ballgames, for instance. Such tickets are usually made of-cardboard and of a convenient size for handling. The invention will be more fully. understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional V l8W of a machine embod ing my inventlon. Fig. 2 is a plan view 0 the machine, partly in section and with parts omitted. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine. F ig. 4 is a right hand end view. Figs. 5, 6 and T are detail views of the ticket plate feeders which carry the ticketplates from the plate wheelsto the form. Fig. 8 illustrates one form of form surface and ticket plate selective-platen surfaces for printing different kinds of tickets from the one plate.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a base which may contain a cash drawer 2 if desired, and on which are mounted two side frames 3, 3 in which is journaled a shaft 4. On the latter is secured a plate wheel comprising three wheels, 5, 5, and 6. The outenwheels 5 have slots 7 and the cen te'r wheel 6 has slots 8. The plates 9 from which the tickets are printed are inserted in the slots as shown in Fig. l and held there by a snug fit. In the art of printing the plates 9 become the form members in the machine.

- The plate wheel as a whole may be rotated by means of the knob 10.

-11- is a number disk fast on the shaft and provided on its peripherywith as many numbers in sequence as there are plates carried bythe wheel. A cover 12 fits over the .numberdiskand is provided with an open .ing 13, see Fig. 3, through which the said numbers'rnay be observed and anyone of them placed in registry with a ma-rk 14 for the purpose of placing a particular plate n position to be used as will hereinafter appear. A toothed portion 15 of the wheel 11, having as many teeth as there are slots in the plate wheel, cofiperates with a pawl 16 to insure an exact positioning of the plate to be used, as will be understood, see Fig. 4.

17 is a form carrier suitably supported on the base 1 and having a slot 18 in which there is inserted a date block 19 for printingthe date" on the ticket. The form carrier is further provided with fixed type forms for printing special indicia such as half 2 to v beand as will hereinafter be more fully referred to. p

20 is a platen having means for selective printing of the ticket, that is to say, each of the four surfaces of the platen are provided with contact or printing faces. whereby only certain of the indicia carried by the form will be printedas may be wantedin a particular instance. This will also be explained more fully in connection with the indicate a half fare as the case may operation of the machine. The platen 20 is rotatably mounted in the sides 21, 21 of thecover 22. This'latter forms a lever, so to speak, for the operation of the platen with a fulcrum on the shaft- 4. In the center-tho cover is providedv with teeth 23 with which meshes the gear 24: centrally carried by a. sleeve 60 on the operating shaft 25. The latter is journaled in the fixed side frames 3 of the machine and is provided with a handle 26, which has ashoulder-fil adapted to engage a shoulder 62 on the sleeve, see Fig. 3, to obtain a free motion between the shaft and'tlie sleeve in a well known manner.

,At the one endthe journal of the platen carries a wheel 27 having four notches 28. i

"29 is-a spring pawl adapted to enter" said notches. When a. particular form-of ticket is wanted, the platen isrotated until the selected surface thereof is downward. At

the right moment the pawl 29 snaps into a notch 28 to retain the platen in position.

30 represents the tickets of still cardboard and which are contained in asuitable, ticket holder of a size corresponding to the amount of the business to be expected at a particular oflice. v v 32 is a weight to keep the tickets down in the holder which latter is open as at .33 to facilitate handling and insertion of the tickets.

Vhen in the holder the tickets rest on the two side shelves 84, 34- which have grooves or ways 35 and which extend rearis to be printed.

wardly to support also the ticket which is to be printed and as shown in Fig. Outside the ticket holder-the. shelves 34E may have guides 35. Thus there is provided an open space beneath the tickets and in the center between the shelves 234. In this space and guided in the said guides 35 moves a ticket feeder 3'? which has a shoulder 38 to push the lowermost ticket out from under the pile.

-39 is a rack secured to the ticket feeder. 40 is agear which meshes with said rack 39 and which is fast on a-shaft l1 journaled in the side frames. At both ends of said shaft there is a gear 42 in mesh with a toothed segment 43 carried by a rock-shaft -14 journaled in the side frames.

45, 45 are thin flat but stiff wiresfast in the ticket feeder 3T. Said wires being bent outward and then rearward as shown, the rearward ends forming loops or hooks i6 which overlap the corner of the ticket which Besides serving to eject the printed ticket, thewire loops to protect the front edge of the ticket when the latter is fed onto the form under the ribbon.

4:7 is a depending arm from the shaft 25 which engages one of the segments l2, Fig. l.

48 is a typewriter or similar ribbon which runs over the form and down on each side over spools 49, only one of which is shown in Fig. l.

I propose to use any convenient form of ribbon shifter device to move the ribbonlengthwise over the form in an obvious man' "The ticket plates are removed from the nvheet-and placed in position to print by the following means. See Figs. 5 to 7. The device is alike for both ends of the ticket so only one will be described. 50 is a guide block fast on the side frame 3 and on which slides a block slide 51. Pivotcd on the latter are the link 52- and the cam piece 53. Pivote'd t0 the end of the latter are the plate feeders 54 having a V-shaped nose 55 adapted to enter a V-notch 56 in the end of ribbon ready to' print. On the return movement the plate is first pushed into the notches in the plate wheel and thereafter the feeders are moved sidewise into retracted position. I: and 1 clearly illustrate this operation.

Before being placed )1; the ticket holder th tickets: will be printed with the name of ture of the fare will not be printed thereon.

These items are printed by my machine as the tickets are sold and consequently the ticket plates are stamped or otherwise formed so as to print theseitems.

Assuming that a ticket is wanted. The operator first rotates the Plate wheel until the number of the plate to be used registers with the mark ltand observed through the opening 13. As already explained the toothed wheel portion 15 and the pawl'l6 insures proper positioning of the plate wanted. Thereafter the handle 26 is moved quickly downward. The first part of this downward movement operates the toothed segments as through the. instrumentality of the dependin arm 47 and the ticket resting outside the ticket holder is pushed in over the form above the ribbon, and at the same time, the plate wanted is moved out from the plate wheel and in under the ribbon by the plate feeders 54. The parts are so timed that immediately thereafter the shoulder 61 on the handle 26 abuts the-shoulder 62 on the sleeve thereby rotating the latter'and the gear 24 which in turn causes a downward movement, in the nature of a blow, by thecover 22 and the platen 20, and as a consequence thereof, the typed matter on the date block, the form and the ticket plate will be printed on the ticket. The handle 26 is returned'to its normal position by a spring 65 until itabuts a stop 66, Fig. 4, and at the same time the segments 43 are returned to the position shown in Fig. l by springs 67 which force them against stops 68. On the return stroke, to the left in Fig. 1, the books or loops 46 serve to eject the printed ticket into the receptacletit), the printed ticket passing out between the rear edge of the next ticket to beprinted and the front edge of the form which latter for this purpose is slightly lower than the level of the lowermost ticket. From this it will be seen that by one operation of the handle 26, the ticket is fed onto the form from the one side, the ticket plate is fed from the op posite side, the ticket is printed and thereafter ejected and theparts are put into position for a new operation.

, It should be noted that one feature of my invention relates to the system or nmnncr for printing different kinds of ticke s from one plate for use between two stations. Referring to Fig. 8 itwill be seen that the plate 9 for tickets between Boston and New York, for instance, has formed tl'ni'reon names of the places of destination, the full and half fare and the words To and From. Figs. 9 to-12 illustrate the four different printing surfaces on the platen for printing either a full or a half fare one way lOl ticket; or a full or a half fare return trip ticket. .For the purpose of clearness, Fig. 8

.-is lettered right side up. In reality the types are upside down. .In Fig. 9 the printing surface is shaded, so that if the surface 80of the platen 20 is lowermost a full fare one way ticket is printed because the portions of the printing surface which corresponds-"to the Half, the stub and Froni'. arecut away, consequently will not print. Fig. 10 illustrates'the half fare one way platen printing surface 81 which prints everything'but the From and the stub and the full fare. Fig. ll illustrates thefullfare return ticket platen surface 82 which prints. everything but the To, Half and the half fare. .Fig. 12 illushates the half rare return ticket platen surb g-Tend and outside the casing with a suitable jknob or handle 83,Fig. 3, provided with ticket oflice.

marks to indicate the positions of each of the four seleotive'surfaces.

The plate illustrated in Fig. 8 embodies y. one ofthe many variations of plates which it may be desired to use and it is one fof-Qthe advantages of this method of printing ticketsfthat it is adaptable for several purposes.- For instance, the price may be omitted on that half ofthe ticket, which is given to the purchaserand printed on the other half for auditing purposes and as a check upon the cash transactions in the It will also be clear that only such tickets are printed as are actually needed, whereby a great saving is effected both' as to the printing and handling of tickets as well as in the auditing and keeping of accounts. that for special excursions and the like, a special plate may be provided and inserted 1n the machine.

I' claim: 1. In a ticket printing machine the combination of a platen having selective-imv pression surfaces, a stationary form carrier supported beneath said platen, a plurality ,grnovin of ticket, plates having printing characters for printing tickets therefrom, a common support for said ticket plates, means for the said form carrier and for moving the said ticket plate away from said form carrier and placing it back into the said common support an Still another feature to be noted is v any one of the said ticket plates-- away rom said support and placing it upon means for operating the platen v to print selected portions from said ticketp ilte on a ticket.

2. In a ticket printing machine the combination of a platen havingselective' impression surfaces, means for rotating the platen to bring any one of the said impression surfaces into printing position, locking means for said platen, a plurality of ticket" plates having printing characters for printing tickets therefrom, supporting means for said ticket plates-means for moving any one of the said ticket plates away from the said supporting means and placing it beneath said platen in printing position and on said shaft, a platen having selectirve' printing surfaces mounted insaid casing,

means for rotating the'platen to bring any I one of the said printing surfaces into printing position and mechanism for moving any one of said ticket plates radially from said plate wheels into printing position under the platen, for operating said casing .to bring the platen down to print a selected portion of the said ticketplate on a ticket, for moving the said ticket plate back into .its slots on the plate wheels and for returning the said platen and casing. to startingposition. n 4. Ina ticket printing machinev the combination of a frame, ticket plates supported in the same, a'ca-sing journaled on said frame, a platen in said casing provided with selective impression surfaces, a support for a supply of tickets, a form carrier, means for removing a ticket and placing the same on said form carrier, means for placing a ticket plate on the latter below said ticket, an operating shaft, and operating connections between the saidshaft and the said ticket and ticket plate operating means and the said casing for actuating the said operating means and for oscillating said casing to cause the platen to print a selected portion of said ticket plate on said ticket.

Signed at Philadelphia this third day of 

